Thai Army chief denies meeting protest leader

[saakura]

There will be no coup. Suthep's history. Now prepare for the elections in february. Tell the voters what you will do when you can be the government. Fight the other side with facts. More than enough to hurt them with: amnesty bill, rice scheme disaster, the two trillion borrowing plan, corruption. Start working. Go to the red shirt provinces too and talk WITH people.

The Democrats have previously tried to go to red shirt villages for campaigning, but were beaten up by the red shirts. The chiefs of the villages are obviously being paid to keep them out. So much for democracy in red shirt territory.

The democrats could start by disowning their supporters who constantly ridicule the isaan people as buffalos, stupid, ignorant, not worth of democracy, Thaksin's lackeys etc etc..treat them with respect and listen to their opinions and work at the grassroots, get to know their problems and aspirations. And then, dont expect them to miraculously change to democrat supporters overnight, could take a decade. Edited December 12, 2013 by saakura

[EricBerg]

The road to democracy is a long and bumpy one. It's not for people who are easily scared. The broad reactions to the amnesty bill and the non-intervening part of the army (no coup) show that Thailand is well on it's way towards that democracy.

[surangw]

what will his story be when the video shows up on youtube ?

[oldsailor35]

Regardless of whether a meeting took place , there would be little to gain by pulling any more stunts, Suthep needs to settle down and let the momentum take care of it's self, there are systems in place , use them , a peoples parliament sounds fishy, the opposition parties should be concerned at the behaviour of Suthep , seems like success has gone to he's head.

This Suthep is becoming a worry, he has'nt yet got his crazy scheme into law yet and he is already bossing and bullying every man and his dog around apparently believing that he is in control of the country. Has he gone crazy or what !

[15Peter20]

Regardless of whether a meeting took place , there would be little to gain by pulling any more stunts, Suthep needs to settle down and let the momentum take care of it's self, there are systems in place , use them , a peoples parliament sounds fishy, the opposition parties should be concerned at the behaviour of Suthep , seems like success has gone to he's head.

This Suthep is becoming a worry, he has'nt yet got his crazy scheme into law yet and he is already bossing and bullying every man and his dog around apparently believing that he is in control of the country. Has he gone crazy or what !

It's the 'or what' I'm worried about. Some have interestingly introduced the nature of Suthep's backing as reason to fear an oncoming dictatorship, but the army's reticence in becoming involved counters this. We are witnessing Thai political brinkmanship par excellance. Hope we don't have to wait too long - and see further deaths - before we know what's what.

[catweazle]

He, who excuses, accuses himself... B-b-b-busteeeeedd

[kkerry]

Gotta love this from The Nation:

Suthep yesterday met with leaders of seven private-sector organisations at Bangkok's Sukosol Hotel to discuss his group's reform ideas. He said he would attempt to stop the election from taking place.

"And I can do it," he said.

He's either delusional or has some very highly placed backers.

Edited December 12, 2013 by kkerry

[Docno]

There will be no coup. Suthep's history. Now prepare for the elections in february. Tell the voters what you will do when you can be the government. Fight the other side with facts. More than enough to hurt them with: amnesty bill, rice scheme disaster, the two trillion borrowing plan, corruption. Start working. Go to the red shirt provinces too and talk WITH people.

I don't think that it will make any difference (i.e., the Democrats will still have little hope of winning the next election). While you raise some valid arguments, the issues aren't the ones that will 'sell' to PTP's power base in the provinces ... they're not issues that will get them to switch party allegiance. Politics in Thailand are in a 'tribal period' just as there are in the US now and they were in the UK in Thatcher's time: the electorate is highly polarised, people's political allegiance has become part of their personal identity, and the spit in the electorate is along high-level symbolic issues and national direction rather than on specific issues. The "colour coding" of politics in Thailand, the overlap with class and cultural differences, and related regional differences all exacerbate the fundamental 'tribalism' of the situation. The only way that another party has a chance is if it comes across as being genuinely interested in the views/needs of the rural population ... Raising issues about over-spending or a problematic rice scheme will not do the trick.

[Old Man River]

Regardless of whether a meeting took place , there would be little to gain by pulling any more stunts, Suthep needs to settle down and let the momentum take care of it's self, there are systems in place , use them , a peoples parliament sounds fishy, the opposition parties should be concerned at the behaviour of Suthep , seems like success has gone to he's head.

This Suthep is becoming a worry, he has'nt yet got his crazy scheme into law yet and he is already bossing and bullying every man and his dog around apparently believing that he is in control of the country. Has he gone crazy or what !

He has been in the sun too long.

Sometimes I thing he is painting a picture so awful that, if and when a new People's Council is named, there will be such relief that people will run to embrace it.

[tetleythedog]

Suthep should have waited for the RSVP.

Confucius say… "Man who shoot off mouth, expect to lose face. "

Just been on the news that he has agreed

[jayboy]

There will be no coup. Suthep's history. Now prepare for the elections in february. Tell the voters what you will do when you can be the government. Fight the other side with facts. More than enough to hurt them with: amnesty bill, rice scheme disaster, the two trillion borrowing plan, corruption. Start working. Go to the red shirt provinces too and talk WITH people.

I don't think that it will make any difference (i.e., the Democrats will still have little hope of winning the next election). While you raise some valid arguments, the issues aren't the ones that will 'sell' to PTP's power base in the provinces ... they're not issues that will get them to switch party allegiance. Politics in Thailand are in a 'tribal period' just as there are in the US now and they were in the UK in Thatcher's time: the electorate is highly polarised, people's political allegiance has become part of their personal identity, and the spit in the electorate is along high-level symbolic issues and national direction rather than on specific issues. The "colour coding" of politics in Thailand, the overlap with class and cultural differences, and related regional differences all exacerbate the fundamental 'tribalism' of the situation. The only way that another party has a chance is if it comes across as being genuinely interested in the views/needs of the rural population ... Raising issues about over-spending or a problematic rice scheme will not do the trick.

Politics will always be mainly tribal in nature.It's true in every country.Electorates tend to be made up of monolithic blocks and victory usually comes from persuading people on the margins of the major blocks, ie the floating voters.Many people might consider Suthep's agenda worth supporting but in an election (or referendum) could not bring themselves to vote for it.Equally there are many who see strong advantages in the PTP but are put off for various reasons - and would never vote for it.I believe social class and wealth are the key tribal determinants.Once in a while a politician comes along who transcends these tribal divisions.Tony Blair in 1997 was a classic example - someone who persuaded millions of well educated wealthier middle class people to vote for New Labour (who would have found voting for Kinnock impossible).Suthep obviously isn't such a catalytic figure since he divides rather than brings together.Of poor Abhisit (still rather like him) the less said the better.So it seems to me there is a huge potential in Thailand for a dynamic unifying politician, ideally one who doesn't rely on dark charisma.But no sign of him or her yet.

[rijb]

Suthep should have waited for the RSVP.

Confucius say… "Man who shoot off mouth, expect to lose face. "

Just been on the news that he has agreed

I think he wanted a closed meeting. The news is talking about more of an open forum, with the military as a 'moderator'.

[scotbeve]

There will be no coup. Suthep's history. Now prepare for the elections in february. Tell the voters what you will do when you can be the government. Fight the other side with facts. More than enough to hurt them with: amnesty bill, rice scheme disaster, the two trillion borrowing plan, corruption. Start working. Go to the red shirt provinces too and talk WITH people.

The Democrats have previously tried to go to red shirt villages for campaigning, but were beaten up by the red shirts. The chiefs of the villages are obviously being paid to keep them out. So much for democracy in red shirt territory.

What a load of rubbish.... In Mae Ai, a democrat won an election buy simply paying the voters.... This is fact. Mae Ai has a red shirt majority.... Baht talks

[pxlgirl]

next try: Saturday?

[flyingdoc]

RSVP should be returned first, and in writing!!